Is It Legal to Have Multiple Passports with Multiple Names?

James Nuveen
Medellín

Four different passports, each with your picture and biometrics, under four different names. It’s legal.

You could be John Smith in the United States, Mario Rossi in Italy, Ivan Ivanov in Russia, and someone else entirely somewhere else. On paper, you’re four different people, yet each identity is undeniably, legally you.

It sounds like something out of a Jason Bourne movie, but the reality is more within reach than you might think.

Does this strategy toe the line between thrilling and reckless? Can one practically maintain multiple names and identities across jurisdictions? Just how complex would this be?

Is it legal to change your name and have a different passport for each name?

Yes, it is. Under the right circumstances, having multiple passports with different names is entirely within the rule of law.

Most countries, including the United States, Italy, and Russia, allow for a legal name change. If you follow their legal procedures, there’s nothing illegal about holding a different identity in one country than another. But, as you’d expect, the process can be complex – requiring a court order in most cases.

Case study: The United States

In the United States, for example, you can change your name for nearly any reason as long as you aren’t doing so to evade law-bound responsibilities or defraud others. To make a name change request, you must file a petition with the court, publish a public notice, and provide supporting paperwork like your birth certificate, state ID or driver’s license, marriage license, or divorce decree.

Once a judge approves the name change request at a court date hearing, you will receive a court order formalizing the name change. You can then use this to update your identity documents, including your social security card, birth certificate, and passport.

Finally, the local court will also publish your name change in the public record.

Case study: Italy

In Italy, the process is far more bureaucratic.

You need to provide a court order and apply for an official name change through the Ministry of the Interior. The entire process can take several months to complete before you can update your passport or other identity documents.

While Italy is more lenient with name change requests, it demands strict consistency in the presentation of your new legal name in documents.

Case study: Russia

In Russia, the bureaucracy surrounding name changes is heavy. Not only do you need a “valid” reason for the change, but you also need to navigate several layers of government, including obtaining approvals from your local administration and other government agencies.

This can take anywhere from six months to a year.

Once you complete the process, you may update your passport and other documents. However, traveling abroad under your new name—let alone with a Russian passport and records—may raise red flags, especially in countries with strict KYC regulations or alignment with the West.

Case study: Japan

In Japan, name changes are notoriously difficult to obtain unless you’ve gotten married. Japanese society values consistency, and trying to explain multiple names across different jurisdictions will likely cause suspicion.

So yes, you can legally change your name in multiple jurisdictions and have multiple lawful names on several passport books. The rules, reasons, and name change process just differ from one jurisdiction to another.

The more important question is – Should you?

The practical challenges of managing multiple legal identities

It certainly sounds thrilling to wield multiple identities simultaneously. Who wouldn’t want that level of anonymity and personal privacy – the ability to switch your profile when convenient? A passport portfolio with multiple identities can be advantageous, especially if you hold many assets under your name – or should I say names?

But it raises a question: Is it practical?

Anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) regulations are just the beginning of the labyrinth you’ll have to navigate. Here’s why:

Travel headaches and inconsistent documentation

Let’s say you’re John Smith, flying from Canada to your new tax residency in Mexico, where you also hold citizenship. In Mexico, you’ve already legally changed your name to Juan Peréz, and your passport reads as such.

Since you’re traveling to Mexico, you use your Mexican identity and passport to purchase flights and enter security. You, however, hand over Juan Pérez’s Mexican passport to Canadian authorities in the Toronto customs line.

Officials might ask questions.

“Who is Juan Pérez?” they might ask. They’ve seen you as John Smith for decades. And you don’t look like a Juan Pérez.

Some countries, like Singapore and the United States, are notorious for scrutinizing travel documents more than other government agencies worldwide. If immigration checkpoints, passport control, and customs officers detect inconsistencies between your identities or entry/exit files, you may face inconveniences, questioning, detentions—or worse.

Travel headaches may just be the start of your complications.

Banking and financial complications

When it comes to your wealth and assets, things could get far more complicated.

Banking authorities and government agencies require consistent identity documents to comply with global AML/KYC regulations. Having different names across multiple jurisdictions is not only a liability but a major risk.

Since 9/11 and the ubiquity of the internet, these regulators have grown increasingly capable and strict and their punishments more severe.

Global banking institutions and even international Department of State offices will automatically flag any discrepancies in your identity, requiring you to explain why John Smith in the United States is Mario Rossi in Italy.

Failure to reconcile these identities could result in frozen assets, blocked transactions, restricted accounts, or criminal investigations, as the assumption will often be that you’re hiding something nefarious – whether or not that’s actually the case.

So, while you may have legally completed the name change process, filed all the correct forms, and paid the due fees in multiple countries, practice can still differ wildly from legislation – as is often the case in investment migration.

Inheritance and property transactions

Here’s another situation: You’re Ivan Ivanov in Russia and own property there. But as John Smith in the United States, you’ve written your will under that name.

Upon your death, your heirs may have to untangle your dual identities to have any legal right to your assets. This may involve presenting multiple court papers, complying with a court order (if not several), and finding and filing a certified copy of all name change proof, which could turn a simple inheritance process from a few basic steps into complete chaos.

Even simple property transactions—selling a house, for example—can become a nightmare if identities don’t match on historical records and forms.

Timing and planning: How to legally change your name across multiple jurisdictions

For those willing to pursue the life of an identity warper, timing and accuracy are everything.

Changing your name in one country might seem like a breeze, but try doing so and keeping all your documents consistent across several countries and several decades. That’s a whole other challenge in and of itself.

A James Bond-type lifestyle requires James Bond-type planning.

Careful timing

If you change your name through the relevant authorities in Mexico, does it make sense to do so before or after you claim tax residency in the country? What about before or after the government certifies your divorce decree? Should you notify the authorities in your native country of Canada? Why or why not?

Changing your name at the wrong time may subject you to unexpected criminal laws, tax liability, and other complications.

Make sure you use timing to your advantage—not to your detriment—throughout your name change process (e.g., name change petition, legal name change).

Consistency in name use

Another consideration is the consistency of your legal name for critical financial files, especially those subject to AML/KYC requirements. Inconsistent naming conventions can and will raise red flags and lead to issues.

You’ll need to synchronize your paperwork, such as your passports, marriage certificates, driver’s licenses, birth certificates, and other identification, to ensure all your legal names match where matching is essential (e.g., financial institutions). All document translations, notarizations, and apostilles should be consistent.

In all jurisdictions you belong to, it’s important to follow the proper and relevant rules, naming conventions, and identity documents.

Meticulous planning for future eventualities

Depending on the jurisdiction and rules, changing your identity can be easy. But, maintaining multiple identities across borders requires long-term thinking.

Don’t just consider today’s benefits, like more anonymity and security. Think about your future obligations and obstacles. You should have answers to questions like these:

• “Are all my identities valid and up-to-date in their respective jurisdictions?”
• “What happens if tax authorities in different countries decide to share information more freely (like through CRS or FATCA)?”
• “Am I at risk of losing my residency, citizenship, or passport in any jurisdiction due to conflicting information?”
• “Can I efficiently transfer or protect assets if one identity comes under threat?”
• “Do I have answers and/or contingency plans if authorities question the legitimacy of my identities?”
• “What happens if something compromises one of my identities?”

Who knows – You may require a full-time employee just to manage your multiple identities.

Is the identity warper lifestyle worth it?

So, while it is lawful and possible to hold multiple identities in multiple jurisdictions, as we’ve pointed out, the practical challenges are significant. Being a chameleon comes with its obstacles—passport and travel complications, financial hurdles, and potential inheritance disputes on your behalf.

And, as is often the case in investment migration, your mileage may vary from the information in this article. Practice may be different than the law.

One thing is certain – maintaining a new name (let alone several) requires precise planning, complete consistency, and appropriate timing.

Is it worth the challenges? That’s for you to decide.